City goes inside to defeat Wildcats

November 29, 2013

SOUTH WHITLEY â€” For nearly an entire half, Columbia Cityâ€™s boys basketball team had an advantage it did not exploit in its 49-31 win against Whitko Wednesday.

That advantage was at the tape measure. With three players at 6â€™5 or more, and Whitkoâ€™s tallest being 6â€™3, the conventional wisdom would say that the Eagles would go inside, but that did not happen, at least at first.

â€śWe shot nine 3â€™s in the first half,â€ť said Columbia City Boys Basketball Head Coach Chris Benedict. â€śI mean, youâ€™ve got to get the ball inside.
Itâ€™s a little easier to go inside, then out on those 3â€™s.â€ť

Whitko played small-ball and ran a slow tempo. With that strategy, the Wildcats were in the lead after one quarter at 11-10, including six from senior Dylan Cumberland.

â€śWe did a very nice job in the first quarter of taking care of the ball,â€ť said Whitko Boys Basketball Head Coach Scott Wessel. â€śWe had some good shots and stopped them a couple of times.â€ť